Picking up the pieces
by foreverrainbowluck
Summary: A Joey/Lauren two-shot! Set a year on from the scene in The Vic when Joey broke it off with Lauren! There lives have changed, but for the better or not? One of them isn't coping, and it can either bring them together or push them apart!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: A two-shot of Joey/Lauren! It is set a year on after the scene in The Vic where Joey tells Lauren it's over because she was drunk ((Lucy's fault!)) Is Lauren coping? Find out...

Joey's POV

I focused on her. The darkness surrounded me but no matter how dark it was she stood out like a diamond to me. I heard her loud laughs, lately I noticed she had been having a real good time.

Today had been a year. A year since we had broken up, everything had changed. She had been sober for months, Alice had told me how she had not once touched the booze. Her artwork is developing in college, all these reasons made me love her more.

I wanted to go back a year. Change my decision and all that I had done to destroy us. If I just supported her and given her my love, it could be like this. We could both be living our fantasy together.

I know she'd never forgive me. I didn't want to ruin all of her hard work. She wouldn't want anymore heartbreak. She was now so independent and smart, I knew she had really changed her life around and now she had changed her life around she probably didn't want me in it.

"Bye girls" I heard her call to her friends, I'd seen her around with them before but none of them were as pretty as she was.

I watched her, she was walking in the direction of her home which was still with Tanya, Abi and Oscar.

This was my chance, to go speak to her. I wanted so badly to just hear her voice, her soft laugh. I got up from the bench, I walked as fast as I could in her direction. She got halfway up the steps to her house before I distracted her.

Lauren's POV

"Hi Lauren" I heard his voice, that voice I hadn't heard in so long.

"Hey" I spun round and greeted him.

"How have you been?" His trademark smirk shooting bullets through my heart.

"Tired from all the college work, but I'm fine" I smiled.

"Good" He smiled back.

"Joey, I don't want us to be like this anymore" I sighed, trotting back down the steps to where he was standing.

"Be like what?"

"We're friends. But right now we're acting like we've just met" She told me.

"Sorry" He apologised.

"You don't have to apologise to me for nothing" She laughed.

"It's not nothing. Everytime I see you, I just want that little bit more...I know it's silly" He shook his head.

"What is?" A wave of curiosity shot through me, he took a strand of my hair and tucked it safely behind my ear.

"I never wanted us to be friends, cousins any of that. I want so much more" He confessed.

A smile escaped my lips. We just an inch apart, he leaned in. His lips smacked onto mine, a long passionate kiss that only felt so right. But it was so wrong, he was the one that had broke my heart. I had to pick up the pieces all on my own.

I pulled apart, realising this was all so stupid. I turned before running up the steps to my house. I didn't want to happen all over again.


	2. Chapter 2

Joey's POV

Slowly, I walked up the stairs to her house. With each step I took I wanted to go back down. This house was a worn old castle with a beautiful damsel in distress waiting to be rescued. Stop. I tried to tell myself. Going after her would be useless, would she really give in to temptation?

Lauren wouldn't know; she probably thought I had gone back to my old ways. But, the whole time we had been apart I wanted to feel that amazing kiss, I wanted to be the one that saw her sneaky smiles in the morning. I longed for her to be mine.

I got closer to the door. Should I or shouldn't I? My mind replayed. I didn't want to upset her, especially now she had came so far. The thought never crossed my mind that she could already have a boyfriend, it never occurred to me. I lifted my hand up as if to knock, but it dropped back down again. No. I couldn't do it.

I heard the squeak as the door opened. I wondered if she was behind it, my mouth started to dry up. Tanya stood, her hands on her hips. She looked quite puzzled, she wanted answers.

"Joey, you've been stood out here for a while now. Are you alright?" She asked.

"Ummm...fine. I just wondered if Lauren wanted to go for a walk...she don't like to be disturbed does she?" That was the best reason I had.

"Well you don't know her then Joey, up at seven every morning. She's just in the front room" Tanya laughed, she moved out the way, gesturing for me to come in.

My hands were starting to sweat in my pockets. I didn't want to annoy her; I only wanted to explain to her about last night. About the kiss, it meant everything to me. I entered the living room, she was sat staring at the TV. She soon knew I was standing there, she looked at me and gave me a little smile.

"I was thinking that we could go for a walk?" I asked her, she didn't really look up to it.

"I dunno...I have the college coursework...the..."

"Only fifteen minutes, won't kill will it?" I hoped for every chance that she would agree.

"Ok" She sighed.

She chucked the cushion which she had been holding back on the sofa. As she brushed past me I smelt her sweet perfume. The same perfume she had always worn. It suited her; and I liked it, a lot.

She wrestled her shoes on. Grabbing her coat and left. Not even saying bye to Tanya. She used every muscle in her body to slam the door, this wasn't going to be good, I could tell already.

"Babe" I whispered, I attempted to slither my arm around her waist but she moved further away.

"What Joey?" She snapped, she focused on each step she took.

"Don't be like this...I mean...I wanted to speak about last night" I smiled.

"Shut up" She hissed.

"Why should I?" I teased.

"I mean it Joey"

"No Lauren. You must of felt it, everything I did. Those butterflies, the way it felt so, so natural..."

"No Joey, last night was stupid. Do you know what I've been feeling all night? I've been wishing it never happened!" She was getting frustrated.

"Let me kiss you, then we will find out"

"No" She was quick to respond.

"Well if it meant nothing it wouldn't be such a problem would it?" I smirked.

I moved a loose strand of her soft wavy hair and tucked it gently behind her ear. I watched as she bit her bottom lip, trying to keep in a smile. I cupped her cheek with my hand and gently leaned in. Our lips in sync, a loud moans escaped her lips. She began pushed me up against a wall. After a while, we both pulled apart, desperate to catch our breaths.

"That...was amazing" I breathed out.

"Yeah...yeah it was" She smiled, taking me by the hand.

A/N/: Second part to my two shot! Sorry haven't been able to update I've had exams stressing me out this week...but I'm back :) x


End file.
